“In the wake of troubling allegations made against several legislators, last year I called on the Joint Rules Committee to initiate a bipartisan and bicameral review of the Legislature’s policies to handle sexual and workplace harassment complaints. I advocated for a new process to ensure fairness and accountability for all involved. Continue reading→

Sacramento, CA – “I have been asking for months, since the many substantial claims of sexual harassment and assault poured out of Hollywood, that the California Legislature do better to address the subsidies we are sending to what looks to be a very depraved industry. It was not long after that similar accusations of sexual misconduct were made regarding colleagues in the State Legislature, leading to the resignation of two Assemblymembers and the suspension of a Senator. Something needs to change. Continue reading→

On May 8, the Grand Jury released a report titled “The Culture of Harassment: Change is on the Horizon,” and this week, the County of Orange issued its official response.

The report largely focuses on the widely reported sexual harassment case involving a senior County employee, which resulted in criminal charges. It makes a sweeping conclusion that a “culture” of tolerance for sexual harassment exists within Orange County government and implores County leadership to take action to improve its human resources function. Continue reading→

Three ex-supporters repeated their demand for San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (a Democrat) to resign Monday and said he forcibly kissed two constituents and grabbed the buttocks and breast of a staff member, according to the Los Angeles Times, which also reported that:

Filner’s behavior toward women is so egregious that women who work for him call him a “dirty old man” and coined the phrases “the Filner headlock” and “the Filner dance” to describe how he isolates women and then makes unwanted advances, attorney Marco Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said a sexual harassment claim will be filed with city officials. Also, lawsuits are a possibility, he said.

Just in time for the Nov. 6 election, Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly, the Democratic Party’s nominee for the 69th Assembly District, was cleared of the sexual harassment charges that had been hanging over him for weeks, according to an independent investigator hired by the County of Orange.

Daly, in a statement released by the county, said the anonymous complaint was “simply a pathetic attempt to smear me. While the lies of the anonymous complainer are appalling, so is the unnecessary waste of tax dollars spent on this investigation,” according to the L.A. Times. Continue reading→

On July 10 of this year I posted an article on this blog entitled “Shouldn’t Daly be investigated for Bustamante-like behavior.” Today it hit the fan for Daly, as “County officials are moving to hire a law firm to check into a host of sexual harassment and corruption allegations against County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly, who is currently the frontrunner to become Orange County’s next State Assemblyman for the 69th District,” according to the Voice of OC.

The letter alleges that Daly has handed out promotions and engaged in inappropriate behavior with at least four female workers at the Clerk Recorders’ Office, which it refers to as “ Tommy’s Girls or Tommy’s Angels.” Continue reading→